Why: Although frequently ignored by many computer users, help files provide key information about how to use the software application they are associated with. By clicking "Help," a user can get an overview of the program's features, a description of the screen he or she is looking at, instructions on how to use the program to perform a given task or read lists of frequently asked questions about the program and their answers. Writing a help file requires both the ability to work with software applications and the ability to explain things in a way users can understand. Here's how to make a help file. Help authoring tool. Start with Microsoft Word and include graphics for creating screenshots to include in the help file.
The contents file includes text that explains how the software application you are documenting works. The text is usually broken down into topics that cover a specific screen, feature or procedure.
Image files are graphic files of program screens or portions of those screens displayed within the help file to enhance the users' ability to understand what the help file text is referring to.
Help files can also have, in addition to the main window, secondary windows that describe a particular feature in detail and automatically sizing pop-up windows that give short descriptions of features.
Write the help topics. To do this, you'll need to review the specs or the program itself to create the topics to document the program's screens and features Features within Word: Use Text boxes, Shapes, use of color Include screenshots. Many program features are best explained with a combination of text and graphics. Create screenshots located in the Insert menu in Word. Text and screenshots should be laid out together in such a way that users can see the screenshot and its supporting text without a lot of scrolling. In many cases, you'll want to show a portion of a program screen instead of the entire screen, or show the screenshot in a smaller size than the original. Your screenshot is being capable of resizing the screenshot without blurring or loss of detail.
Help Document
Why: Although frequently ignored by many computer users, help files provide key information about how to use the software application they are associated with.By clicking "Help," a user can get an overview of the program's features, a description of the screen he or she is looking at, instructions on how to use the program to perform a given task or read lists of frequently asked questions about the program and their answers.
Writing a help file requires both the ability to work with software applications and the ability to explain things in a way users can understand. Here's how to make a help file.
Help authoring tool. Start with Microsoft Word and include graphics for creating screenshots to include in the help file.
- The contents file includes text that explains how the software application you are documenting works. The text is usually broken down into topics that cover a specific screen, feature or procedure.
- Image files are graphic files of program screens or portions of those screens displayed within the help file to enhance the users' ability to understand what the help file text is referring to.
- Help files can also have, in addition to the main window, secondary windows that describe a particular feature in detail and automatically sizing pop-up windows that give short descriptions of features.
Write the help topics. To do this, you'll need to review the specs or the program itself to create the topics to document the program's screens and featuresFeatures within Word: Use Text boxes, Shapes, use of color
Include screenshots. Many program features are best explained with a combination of text and graphics. Create screenshots located in the Insert menu in Word.
Text and screenshots should be laid out together in such a way that users can see the screenshot and its supporting text without a lot of scrolling. In many cases, you'll want to show a portion of a program screen instead of the entire screen, or show the screenshot in a smaller size than the original. Your screenshot is being capable of resizing the screenshot without blurring or loss of detail.